What about mosaic tile? Lots of colors, styles, sizes, and finishes to choose from. You can also mix tiles or keep it simple and uniform - whatever you prefer! This fireplace was done in a single color of iridescent tiles, very sleek and modern! (other colors available!)

There's a few but Google Sketchup is probably the most available. The thing is, you'd be better off dealing with your architect for this because they would be better to tell you what materials are actually practical, they would know costs, installation times, etc. For example you might not be able to do a lot of masonry in heavy seismic zones and certain other types of cladding may require thicker foundation, etc. Not only that there are a myriad of different ways to stucco a home and so forth. I mean you could use Sketchup to mockup some ideas, but this is work that is honestly best done in concert with an experienced professional.

It sounds like you've been through quite the rollercoaster with your building project! That's really frustrating to hear, especially when you had a vision that you were attached to. Construction dilemmas can be a lot to handle, and I can only imagine how the stress might have piled up over time. If you're feeling stressed (and who wouldn't be in a situation like this?), you might want to consider working off some of that tension. Since you're into home design and creating beautiful spaces, you might appreciate the aesthetic and functionality at Hitsona's fitness studio. Sometimes a little self-care and a change of scenery can inspire new ideas for other areas in life, including home design.

I would look at colour samples next to actual sample of the schist to be used. Take that to a local paint/render shop and look at them together. Looking at your image, the schist looks to be a golden schist rather than a grey. Is this just the way it has been shown? I would check with the suppliers for the actual colour of stone to be used as there are a lot of possibilities and the colour will affect your colour choice for the plaster. Here are a few websites showing some schist colours: https://www.worldofstone.co.nz/stone-mason/stone-masonry/schist https://wanakastone.co.nz/style/ Also consider the visibility of your mortar and its colour. Keep in mind that depending on your render system, you may be even more restricted in LRV, as some systems require an LRV of no less than 40%.